Awdhesh Kumar in Raising Rajasthan
We are proud to have participated in Rising Rajasthan 2024, where we had the chance to showcase the beautiful craft of block printing. It was a special moment for us to stand alongside my father, Shri Awdhesh Kumar Pandey, and share this traditional art form with the Honorable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji.
Block printing is more than just a craft, it is a part of our heritage, passed down through generations. My father has dedicated his life to preserving this art, and it was an honor to represent his efforts and the work of skilled artisans who keep this tradition alive.
Our aim is to celebrate and promote the rich culture of Rajasthan through our hand block printed designs. This opportunity inspires us to continue sharing this unique art with the world while supporting the talented hands behind it.
Our Story
The world famous Sanganeri print known for its exquisite Hand Block print fabrics and azo free and
natural dyes. We belong to traditional hand block printing community. In 1940’s Shri Harnath ji and their
son Shri Balchand ji Pandey started hand block printing and sell products like dupattas and Fadat (fabric)
in local road side ‘Hatwara’ (local market) in Jaipur and to community people by the name of “Balji
Harnath Hala” by putting their name on each piece for uniqueness and authenticity of their products.
Their Son Shri Ram Kishore ji Pandey started the company “Ram Kishore Awdhesh Kumar” in 1971 to
sell our products to government emporium and other companies. After that, their son Awdhesh Pandey
continued their legacy and expanded by starting “A.K. International” for export query and “A.K.Textiles”
for domestic query, in 1994, then in the continuation Awdhesh Pandey’s younger son Khushiram Pandey
started the brand “Awdhesh Kumar” in 2012 after his design studies, to expand in retails
business
We chose to revive and revitalize our Ancestral work by our innovative approach and the inherited skill in
hand block printing and vegetable Dyeing..
We are working with different printing and dyeing techniques such as Syahi Beggar Printing, Dabu
Printing, Indigo Sol Printing, Pigment Printing, Acid Printing and Natural Dyeing.
Our Team
We are producing exclusive and skilfully handcrafted textile and home furnishings in cotton, linen and silk using specialized skills of our block printing artisans, our vision and mission is to sustain the traditional skills by exploring the new Opportunities. We work with about 100 artisans and provide them work on fair trade basis. Our infrastructure includes a 14 table printing unit and 50 sewing machine fabrication unit and 10000 block range in traditional and contemporary designs
About founders
Awdhesh Pandey is a forth generation block printing master artisan, from Chhipa community. He is a block printer, craft revivalist, expert in natural dyeing process, he still teach student form all around world for block printing and hand block printing, almost 2000 student of textiles have got knowledge of Natural Dyeing & Printing by him, since 1990.He teach dyeing and printing as visiting textile faculty in institute like: NIFT Delhi, iicd Jaipur, pearl academy Jaipur, Vansthali vidya peeth Jaipur, Womenpolytechnic collage Jaipur, Indian Institute of Handloom Technology. Jodhpur
Awdhesh pandey is currently the Managing Director of AK Group; together he manages to handle social working in “rangaichapai kala prakosth” which is totally working for hand block printing artisans. These are some achievements by Awdhesh Pandey:
National award (president) in 2009 Govt. of India National merit award (president) in 2008, Govt. of India State Award in natural dyes in 1986, Govt. of RAJASTHAN. Utakristh Shilpi award by Uttar Pradesh Government in 1996. Jaipur Ratana award by Rajasthan Government in 1997 Kala Shri award by Hariyana Government in 2001. Kala Nidhi award by Suraj Kund Craft Samiti in 2006
Khushiram Pandey is a fifth generation block printing artisan and designer from Chhipa Community Sanganer, a famous printing hub in Jaipur, Rajasthan. He is an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Craft and Design in Jaipur (IICD). During his studies, he focused on textile product design, culminating in a final year project working with the City Palace Museum of Jaipur creating a collection of prints and garments inspired by regional architecture. Khushiram is currently the Creative Director of AK Group and working in own brand “Awdhesh Kumar”, which deal in exporting, wholesaling, and retailing of block printed textiles. It is Khushiram’s main goal to sustain the ancient craft of block printing while at the same time giving new direction and innovation to the prints and designs
